[LS] Bp Howe cancels... (fwd)

[Louie Crew <lcrew@ANDROMEDA.RUTGERS.EDU>]

fyi.  Quoted with Fr. Liebler's permission.

Louie

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 3 Sep 2007 07:59:51 -0400
From: John Liebler <jliebler@bellsouth.net>
To: Louie Crew <lcrew@andromeda.rutgers.edu>
Subject: Bp Howe cancels...

Louie,

You are correct.  It would be inconceivable for an independent school like
Trinity Prep to seek episcopal approval for a play.  That doesn't happen,
nor does the Bishop ask or expect it.  He learned about La Cage in the
Orlando Sentinel.

I assume your subject line comes from the Sentinel, which is misleading.
The Head acted upon the Bishop's request.  The Bishop had no authority to
cancel anything and was rather surprised that the Head acquiesced.  Remember
that Orange and Seminole counties are politically conservative, as is the
diocese.  I can only assume that the Head received complaints from rich
alumni, which the Head must have weighed in his decision.

John Liebler
Permission to quote


Date: Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:50:41 -0400
To: "Bishops Deputies Discussion" <BishopsDeputies@hobd.org>
From: "Louie Crew" <lcrew@andromeda.rutgers.edu>
Cc: "BCF3@aol. com" <BCF3@aol.com>
Subject: Bp Howe cancels La Cage aux Folles
Message-id: <KIEELCCJGHDAKOKDBJFNCEHJEFAA.lcrew@andromeda.rutgers.edu>

Re:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-play0107sep01,0,2210448.story?coll=orl-li
festyle-col

A friend has said:

> Certainly whoever picked La Cage for an Episcopal high school
> production in the Diocese of Central Florida must have known it
> would be waving a red flag in front of the Episcopal bull (of
> which there is much in that diocese.

> That the bishop found out rather by accident indicates there were
> either stealth tactics or a don't ask, don't tell policy assumed by
> the school.

I taught for three years in one of the finest Episcopal schools (St.
Andrew's in Middletown, Delaware, 1962-65), and it would never have occurred
to anyone on the faculty to clear any curricular or theatrical decisions
with the bishop (then Rt. Rev. Brooke Mosley, later president of Union in
NYC)

Nor would the bishop have understood why the school would hire anyone so
insecure as to seek his approval for intellectual decisions we were hired to
make.

Is Bloom right? Has the American mind been shut tight? Even in independent
schools?

Louie, Newark deputation

Louie Crew, 377 S. Harrison St., 12d, East Orange, NJ 07018. 973-395-1068